Electrode for electrolyzing apparatus.



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ELECTBODE FDR ELECTBDLYZING APPARATUS.

(Application led Nov. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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MORITZ, oF LILLE, FRANCE.

ELECTROD FOR ELCTROLYZING APPARATUS."

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,933, dated July 17, 1900. Application iiled November Z9, 1899. .Serial No. 738,657. (No model.)

To fallu/'hom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REN MORITZ, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Lille, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrodes for Electrolyzing Apparatus, of which the followingY is a specification.

This invention relates to electrodes for electrolyzing apparatus; and the object of the invention is to provide an electrode of comparatively cheap and simple construction and which is not readily polarized, so that an electrolytic cell provided with the electrodes produces a large yield with economy in cost of operation.

The invention consists in the combination, with an electrode, of a carrier-plate for the same provided with a supply-channel and a discharge channel, each extending across said plate for the full width of the electrode, anda plurality of grooves extending from one of said channels'to the other opposite the electrode; and the invention consists, secondly, in the combination, with a carrier-plate provided with a supply-channel and a discharge-channel each extending across the plate, of an electrode consisting of a plurality of members applied to said plate and extending longitudinally from one of said channels to the other g and the invention consists, further, in the arrangement of inlet and outlet openings connected at opposite sides of the carrier-plate, respectively, with the supply and discharge channels, so that the electrolyte flows in at one side and out at the opposite side of the electrode; and the invention consists, lastly, of an electrolytic cell employing the new electrodes, which will be more fully described hereinafter and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis an elevation of a carrier-plate constructed according to my invention. view of said carrier-plate with the electrode applied thereto. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are horizontal sections showing various forms in which the carrier-plate and electrode may be made. Fig. v6 is an elevation of another form of carrier-plate and electrode constructed according to my invention. Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8 8, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 shows Fig. 2 is an endV in section on a line relatively thesame as S S, Fig. 6, a double carrier-plate and electrodes applied thereto. Fig. 10 is an elevation of an electrolytic cell provided with my improved electrodes. Fig. 11 is an end View of the cell looking in" the direction'of the arrow 11 in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is avertical section on line 12 12, Fig. 10; and Fig. 13 is a horizontal section on line 13 13, Fig. 10.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The electrolytic cell shown in Figs. 10 to 13 consists of three principal parts, an anode and carrier-plate A, ay cathode and carrierplate B, and a diaphragm C, interposed between the anode and cathode. The carrierplate of the cathode, Figs. l to 5, consists-of a plate c, of any suitable material, either conductor or non-conductor of the electric current, which will notbe affected by the electrolyte with which it is to come in contact and is provided at its lower part with a supplychannel a2 and at its upper part with a discharge-channel a', each extending across the plate Within its rim, and with a number of grooves b of any desired cross-section extending from one channel to the other. As means of supplying the electrolyte to and removing the same from the channels an inlet-opening b2 extends from the supply-channel through the rim b of the plate to a supply-pipe c and an outlet-opening c from the discharge-channel to the discharge-tube o2. Instead of being provided with the grooves b the carrier-surface may in some cases be left plane, as indicated in Fig. 4. and hereinafter referred to. The channels a and a2 are, however, retained.

To the carriera is secured in anysuitable manner the electrode cl, which may consist, as in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, of wire-netting having warp and weft wires ofthe same or approximately the same size or yhaving greatly-enlarged weft- Wires d', as in Fig. 4. Vhen wire-netting is used, if the carrier is a nonconductor .the electrical connection may be made by a plate cl2, soldered to the netting and extending beyond the rim of the carrierplate to the outside of the same, or rivets may be employed; but when the electrode is to be used in an electrolytic cell, such as shown in Figs. 10 to 13, it is not necessary to secure the electrode positively to the carrier-plate,

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as the diaphragm C serves for keeping the electrode in position on the carrier-plate and in electrical contact therewith.

The carrier-plate e of the anode, Figs. G to 9, is of either conducting or non-conducting material and is provided, like the carrier-plate a, with supply and discharge channels e2 and e', respectively, at its lower and upper parts, the surface between said channels being, however,plane and not provided with grooves. From the lower channel extends through the rim f an inlet-opening f2 to the supply-pipe g, and from the discharge-channel a bore g' extends through the rim to the dischargepipe g2.

The electrode consists of a number of rods h, of carbon, which pass at their upper ends through the rim of the carrier-plate to the outside of the same, but which, as shown in Fig. 7, do not extend to the rim at the bottom of the plate, so as not to obstruct the channel e2. For tightening the connection of the rods with the carrier-plate where they pass through the rim an asbestos or rubber packing 7i may be employed. When it is necessary to secure the rods reliably to the plate e, this may be accomplished by strips h2 of asbestos secured at their ends to the sides of the plate and passing across the same over the rods, as shown in Fig. 6. The electrical connection may be made directly with the carbon rods or with the carrier, if the same is made of conducting material.

Figs. 5 and 9 show forms of double carrierplates with the electrodes applied thereto.

The electrolytic cell shown in Figs. 10 to 13 is designed for the electrolysis of sodiumchlorid solution. For this purpose the cathode carrier-plate a is preferably constructed of cast-iron or stoneware and the electrode of iron wire-netting. The carrier-plate of the anode is made from wood, earthenware, or other material capable of resisting the action of chlorin-as, for instance, enameled castiron, &c. Between the two electrodes,which are placed face to face, is located a diaphragm C, preferably made of asbestos board or asbestos cloth and supported in a frame Q1 of approximately the same outline as the rim f of the anode and a of the cathode. The asbestos strips h2 may be dispensed with and in place thereof carbon rods i" inserted in the space between the rods h and diaphragm C in electrical contact with the rods h, so that they act as part of the electrode. These rods do not extend through the rim of the carrierplate, but preferably extend from the rim f' to a point adjacent to the upper channel e', but not across said channel. Bolts 2, passingv through the carrier-plates, serve to secure all the parts of the cell firmly in position, with the wire-nettin g pressing upon the diaphragm C at one side of the same and the rods 'i' against the opposite side of the same. The anode is connected with the positive pole of a suitable source of electricity and the cathode with the negative pole of the same. The

sodium-chlorid solution to be electrolyzed is then supplied through the tubes c and g to the interior of the water-tight cell. It iiows in upward direction in the same in contact with the electrodes7 is electrolyzed by the current passing, and is discharged from the cell through the tubes c2 and g2, carrying with it the products of the electrolysis,which consist of hydrogen, chlorin in solution, and sodium hydrate.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the function of the supply-channels a2 e2, which extend across the plates, respectively, is to convey the entering electrolyte along the lower edge of the active zone, so that it is distributed over the plate and rises through-A the said zone in a layer or stream of even t'. c., arranged longitudinally from one channel to the other-or when wire-netting with the thick'weft-wires so arranged is employed the channels formed by this plurality of longitudinally-arranged members are the equivalent of the channels formed by the grooves h and maintain sufficiently the direction of the stream, and the grooves b may be omitted. By reason of the upward iow created about each electrode, which flow on account of the large electrode-surface and great power of the cell may have considerable velocity, the bubbles of gas forming on the electrodes are re-` moved by the stream and carried olf therewith as soon as formed, so that the cell does not polarize. A cell constructed as described presents a thin layer of electrolyte between the electrodes, whereby rapid action is secured with a minimum consumption of electricity. A further advantage is that the porous diaphragm is firmly held on either side over its entire surface, so that breakage of the diaphragm by sudden shocks to the cell is impossible.

Having thus described my invention, I

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claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination,with a carrier-plate provided with a supply-channel and a dischargechannel, each extending entirely across said plate, and a plurality of grooves extending from one of said channels to the other, of an electrode applied to said carrier-plate between said channels, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ,with a carrier-plate provided with a supply-channel and a dischargechannel, each extending entirely across said plate, of an electrode consisting of a plurality of members applied to said plate and extendin g longitudinally from one of said channels to the other, substantially as set forth.

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vided with a rim, a supply-channel at its lower and a discharge-channel at its upper part, each extending across said plate, grooves extending from one to the other of the channels, an inlet-opening at one side of the plate communicating through the rim, with the discharge-channel, and an outlet-opening at the opposite side of the plate communicating through the rim with the discharge-channel, and an electrode applied to said plate between said channels, substantially as set forth.

4. An electrolytic cell, composed of an anode, a cathode, carrier-plates for each, each plate having a lower supply-channel and an upper dischargechannel, a porous diaphragm interposed between said electrodes, means for clamping the carrier-plates together so as of their plates, at the sides opposite their in- Y let-openings respectively, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

REN MORITZ'.

Witnesses:

JULIEN WURTH, IVAN v. ESSEN 

